It is believed that Glayva whisky liqueur got its name from a certain anecdote, although the truth of this is unclear: Ronald Morrison created the recipe for Glayva whisky liqueur in the late 1940s. During a tasting with one of his employees, the latter is said to have spontaneously exclaimed "very good" - "glayva" in Gaelic. This praise gave the liqueur its name right from the start.

Glayva whisky liqueur is based on a blend of malt whisky, spices and fruit. In addition to cinnamon, almonds, cloves and ginger, the whisky is refined with a dash of Spanish oranges, giving it a spicy character that is balanced by fruity notes.